UNICEF South Sudan Mid-Year Situation Report-20 July 2017

> Escalated conflict and security restrictions have significantly affected UNICEF’s ability to reach many areas with critical assistance in 2017. In response, the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) was scaled up at the beginning of the year in an effort to reach the most vulnerable populations in hard to reach locations. Since January, 27 RRM missions have taken place reaching 498,461 people with live-saving support.> Food insecurity and malnutrition rates in South Sudan have reached an all-time high, with 6 million people – some 50 per cent of the population – estimated to severely food insecure at present. Famine was declared in South Sudan in February, and since January, UNICEF and partners have reached 96,000 severe acutely malnourished (SAM) children with treatment.> South Sudan is in the middle of the most severe and protracted cholera outbreak in its history, with 13,880 cholera cases and 243 cholera deaths reported so far in 2017. UNICEF has continued to scale up its cholera response in line with the resurgence of transmission, providing direct support to more than 7,673 cholera cases this year.